This is the Oregon guy. There is another one from either Idaho or Utah, I forget.
I love them but they are definitely built for show. You'd have to -really- trust your life to all those glue joints, if you were taking one into the wilderness.
Its pretty understandable how they both came to this. Trying to get a decent piece of hickory when you live 2000 miles from the nearest tree..............
People keep threatening to send me hickory, but so far I am scrounging the dump like a maniac and hyper careful at yards sales to never miss any good stock.
Oh, I don't think the heads are chromed.
Regular full polishing is how many of the old axes were sold in the first place. They will tone down in time. I have polished many an ax (and other tools too).
But have been bluing most heads lately. You polish first, then blue. It still requires care but lasts longer in hard use.
I don't think its much faster to make, I've been using figured madrone for handle stock. Madrone is not usually a good handle wood. But once in a while a tree grows defective, with the grain all twisted and bound up inside. Then its nearly indestructible. Carving it is like working some soft stone.
Here is an ax handle I made for a neighbor. Its his kindling ax. We all use wood stoves here.
The hammer below in my latest garage hammo.
yours Scott
